Patterning systems for circular knitting machines



0a. 20, 1970 A, T, D, JACKSON ET AL 3,534,567

PATTERNING SYSTEMS FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHI NES Filed April 4, 1968 s sheets i-sheet l Oct. 20, 1970 A, JACKSON ETAL 3,534,567

PATTERNING SYSTEMS FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES s Sheets-Sheet .2

Filed April 4. 1968 Oct. 20, 1970 A. T. D. JACKSON ErAL 3,534,567

PATTERNING SYSTEMS FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES' Filed April 4. 1968 5 SheeiSSheet 8 Oct. 20, 1970 JACKSON ET AL 3,534,567

PATTERNING SYSTEMS FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 4.. 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Fig. 5 32 so 78 e1 52 PATTERNING SYSTEMS FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 4, 1968 A. T. D. JACKSON ETAL Oct. 20, 1970 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent C) 3,534,567 PATTERNING SYSTEMS FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Arthur T. D. Jackson, Leicester, and Bertram Johnson,

Braunstone, England, assignors to Wildt Meller Bromley Limited, Leicester, England, a British company Filed Apr. 4, 1968, Ser. No. 718,696 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Apr. 27, 1967, 19,414/ 67 Int. Cl. D04b /68 U.S. CI. 66-50 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A patterning system in a multi-feed circular knitting machine. Includes memory units at each needle selecting station, these being on a carrier of a revolving cam box. Each unit has a stack of pattern members individually movable selectively to and from operative positions in which they influence selector elements of a corresponding bank. The selector elements act selectively upon knitting instrument butts at corresponding heights. On a relatively staationary part of the machine is an intermittently rotatable common master control unit carrying pattern-dictating media for controlling all the stacks of pattern members.

This invention appertains to patterning systems for multi-feed circular knitting machines of the class having at least one stationary needle cylinder surrounded by a revolving cam box.

Thus, the invention is advantageously applicable to a multi-feed circular knitting machine of the stationary cylinder and dial type equipped with means enabling loops to be transferred at least from cylinder needles to dial needles.

In particular, the invention concerns a knitting machine of the class referred to and of the type wherein the tricked needle cylinder is equipped with individually movable knitting instruments which are differentiated one from another either by direct provision thereon of butts or by the provision of butts on associated elements, such butts in any event being disposed at different heights so that the instruments are adapted to be selectively moved in the cylinder tricks, according to knitting requirements. Thus, in such a machine, the selected knitting instruments are appropriately moved in the cylinder whereas the unselected instruments are not.

It is to be clearly understood that the expression knitting instruments is used throughout this specification and in the appended claims in a generic sense and includes not only knitting needles, but also jacks, sliders and the like associated with and arranged to influence such needles.

The knitting instruments may be arranged to rock or be provided with deflectable spring tails or extensions, the butts on the instruments or on the aforementioned associated elements in this case being presser butts adapted to be selectively pressed inwardly into the cylinder tricks suchwise as to dispose appropriate formations on the selected knitting instruments clear of the path of cam means as a result of which the said selected instruments remain inoperative. In such a case the unselected instruments are not pressed in and, as a consequence, they are acted upon by the cam means and moved longitudinally. Alternatively, the knitting instruments are neither rockable nor deflectable and their butts are so acted upon as directly to effect the required longitudinal displacements thereof.

The invention, moreover, has reference exclusively to a patterning system of the kind which includes, at each instrument selecting station (knit or transfer) in advance of a feed, a bank of heightwise spaced and individually movable, e.g. slidable or pivotal, selector elements which are mounted to move together with the revolving cam box and are selectively operable and in turn adapted to act selectively, either directly or indirectly, upon the butts at corresponding heights on the knitting instruments or on the associated elements, as the case may be, for the purpose of selectively moving the instruments in the cylinder tricks.

Now heretofore there has been provided on the revolving cam box carrier adjacent to each bank of selector elements for selectively operating the same an intermittently rotatable patterning drum furnished with a predetermined set out of protuberant pegs, pins or bits disposed in axially spaced circumferential rows. Each such drum, with its own pawl and ratchet mechanism for racking it round at required intervals, has usually had formed therein regularly disposed holes or slots into predetermined ones of which are inserted pegs, pins or bits to provide the pattern-dictating media.

One disadvantage of such a patterning system, as heretofore laid out is that the multiplicity of rotary patterning drums take up so much wanted space and involve the provision of individual drum-racking mechanisms therefor. Another disadvantage is that each time a pattern is required to be changed, all the pegs, pins or bits have first to be taken out of the drums and then the necessary pegs, pins or bits are re-inserted by hand into predetermined ones of the holes. This is a time-consuming and hence costly operation.

The primary object of the present invention is to equip a multi-feed circular knitting machine of the class concerned with an improved patterning system of the kind herein referred to designed to obviate the necessity for a multiplicity of rotary patterning drums as aforesaid.

Thus, a particular aim is to obviate the use of pegs, pins or bits and thereby to reduce to a minimum the time taken to change the pattern.

A further object is to make possible the use, in a patterning system of the said kind, of pattern-dictating media of a character adapted to be quickly changed for fresh media as occasion demands and to be filed away and stored for future use when no longer required.

In the improved patterning system of this invention there are provided in lieu of rotary patterning drums at the knitting instrument selecting stations on the revolving cam box carrier, stacks of suitably biased pattern members which are individually movable selectively to and from operative positions in which they influence the selector elements of the adjacent banks, the selective operation, i.e. programming, of all of the said stacks of pattern members being controlled from a common master control unit which is supported on a relatively stationary part of the knitting machine, carries pattern-dictating media and is adapted to be racked round at desired intervals.

Thus, there is one stack of pattern members permanently stationed adjacent to each bank of corresponding selector elements revolving together with the cylinder cam box, whereas there is only one rotary pattern drum constituting the master control at a relatively stationary location. Accordingly, as the cam box rotates about the stationary needle cylinder, the stacks of pattern members (which can conveniently be regarded as parts of memory units) travel past, and are selectively operated seriatim by selectable means associated with and under the control of the master control unit.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood and readily carried into practical elfect, a specific constructional example of the improved patterning systern will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein,

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of so much of the head of a circular knitting machine of the revolving cam box type as is necessary to illustrate the appliaction thereto of the invention, the actual patterning mechanism being seen as viewed in the direction of the arrow A in FIG. 2,

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the said patterning mechanism showing the memory unit comprising a stack of pattern members and an associated bank of selector elements at one only of the instrument selecting stations,

FIG. 3 is a side view of the common master control unit including a fragmentary portion of the pattern-dictating media,

FIG. 4 is a sectional plan view of the memory unit at one instrument selecting station and also shows means whereby the patterning mechanism can be neutralised at required times,

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line VV of FIG. 2,

FIG. 6 is a detail vertical sectional view of a lever for selecting a beater which, after each rack of the master control unit, is moved to carry forward all the selected programming levers as and for the purpose hereinafter to be described,

FIG. 7 is a similar sectional view of a racking lever for a return beater which permits racking of the master control unit in a manner hereinafter to be described,

FIG. 8 is a gear train through the medium of which the master control mechanism is operated,

FIG. 9 is a detail plan view of a release lever for a catch member which functions to retain the pattern members either in their operative or inoperative positions, and

FIG. 10 illustrates at a, b, c, d and e cams for operating various components of the mechanism, these five cams being shown in FIG. 5 as assembled together upon a common cam shaft.

Like parts are designated by similar reference characters throughout the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, it will be seen that the circular knitting machine includes a stationary needle cylinder 1 formed with needle tricks 2. In the upper ends of these tricks are mounted individually operable latch needles 3 which are furnished with operating butts 3a. Beneath each needle 3 there is provided, in the corresponding trick 2, a knitting instrument as hereinbefore defined in the form of a needle-actuating jack 4. Each such jack has a depending spring tail 4a which is formed at its lower extremity with a butt 5. A jack 4 is selected if its tail 4a is pressed in, as shown in FIG. 1, to dispose its butt 5 clear of a jack-raising cam (not shown) as a result of which the said jack, and hence also the corresponding needle 3 will remain down. On the other hand, the butt 5 of any unselected jack 4 whose tail 4a is not so pressed in will be acted upon by the jack raising cam so that the jack and its needle will be raised. In the particular example illustrated, there is provided in the same trick 2 as each needle 3 and its associated jack 4, a presser 6 which is provided at one of a plurality of heightwise spaced locations with a presser butt 6a. Thus, whenever the presser butt 6a on any presser 6 is acted upon and pressed inwardly, the spring tail 4a of the corresponding jack 4 will also be pressed in with the result already described.

The stationary cylinder 1 is surrounded by a revolving cam box 7 mounted upon a ring 8 which is furnished with the main drive gear 9 of the machine.

In accordance with the present invention there is attached to the cam box carrier ring 8, at each knitting instrument selecting station, a bracket 10 of a memory unit MU. This unit includes a stack of biased pattern members 11 (FIG. 2) which are individually movable selectively to and from operative positions in which they influence selector elements 12 of an adjacent bank. The selective operation, i.e. programming, of all the stacks of pattern members 11 is controlled from a master control unit 13 in the form of a pattern drum. This drum is supported on a stationary part 14 of the machine and is adapted to be racked round at desired intervals. The part 14, in the nature of a flat platform having a depending peripheral flange 14a, is secured by bolts 15 upon the bed plate 16 of the machine. The drum 13 has passed around it a pattern-dictating strip 17.

The pattern members 11 of each memory unit MU consist of small spring-influenced levers mounted to turn in spaced horizontal planes about a common vertical pivot pin 18 fixed in the bracket 10, the said planes being spaced heightwise to correspond with the similar spacing of the selector elements 12 of the corresponding bank. As will be seen more clearly in FIG. 4, each pattern lever 11 is controlled by a tension spring 19. One end of each spring 19 is anchored to the corresponding pattern lever 11, whilst the opposite end of this spring is attached to the particular selector element 12 in the same plane as the said lever. Thus, the springs 19 are common to the levers 11 and the elements 12 and function to urge both into their inoperative positions. The selector elements 12 in each bank are also in the form of levers which are individually turnable about a second common vertical pivot pin 20 fixed in the bracket 10. These selector levers operate through gaps in the cam box 7. Each pattern lever 11, moreover, is formed with a radially protuberant .operative formation 11a adapted, when the lever is selected and turned against the action of the corresponding spring 19, to make contact with a nose 12a on the corresponding selector element 12 and swing the latter radially inwards with the result already explained herein. Each pattern lever 11 is also formed with a radially extending lug 11b by means of which the said lever, when selected, is turned angularly into its operative position, this lug being arranged to be acted upon by selectable means (presently to be described in detail) under the control of the master control unit 13. Thirdly, each pattern lever 11 is formed with a nose for engagement by a catch member 21 common to all of the pattern levers of the memory unit MU and functioning to retain these levers either in their operative positions or in their inoperative, i.e. non-selected, positions, as the case may be.

Preferably, and as shown in FIG. 1, the catch member 21, which is of pivoted lever form, extends heightwise the full height of the corresponding stack of individually turnable pattern levers 11 and, at its free end 21a, is tapered for insertion into the vertical V-shaped gap which opens up between, and is defined by, the noses 110 on the pattern levers whenever, as a consequence of a selection of the latter, some of them are rendered operative and others remain inoperative (see FIG. 4). Thus, as will be appreciated, each catch member 21, of which there is one to each stack of pattern levers 11, i.e. one to each memory unit MU, functions to prevent the selected ones of these levers from returning under spring action to their inoperative positions until required to do so. In this way, each catch member 21, itself normally spring biased by a torsion spring 22 (FIG. 1) into an operative condition, serves to retain a selection of the pattern levers 11 for most of a revolution of the machine, that is to say until the catch member 21 is deliberately moved against its biasing influence to release selected pattern levers for re-selection.

In the specific patterning system illustrated in the drawings there is provided, adjacent to each catch member 21, a release lever 23 operable at an appropriate point once per revolution of the cam box 7, to move the catch member against a biasing torsion spring 22 with the result just stated. Each release lever 23 is mounted to run freely about the upper end of the pivot pin 18 and, for bearing purposes, straddles a top plate 24 of the memory unit MU. Thus, the lever 23 has two angularly disposed arms, viz. an upper arm 23a which seats upon the top of the top plate 24 and projects outwardly beyond the latter in the path of a striker plate 25, and a lower arm 23b arranged for contact at its outer end with the catch member 21. The striker plate 25 is attached to the outer end of a suitably shaped lever 26 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) which at its opposite end fits upon a vertical shaft 27 operable from the control chain of the machine. The arrangement is such that the striker plate 25 is movable up and down into and out of the plane of the upper arm 23a of the release lever 23. Whenever the lever 26 is raised to present the striker plate 25 in its operative plane, the said plate will strike the arm 23a of the release lever 23 of each memory unit in turn. As it does so, the release lever will be turned in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 9, so that the lower arm 23b of the said lever pushes against the catch member 21 and turns it anticlockwise against the action of the torsion spring 22. Such a movement of the release lever 23 withdraws its tapered end 21a clear of the pattern levers 11 of the relevant stack as a consequence of which the previously selected ones of these levers are returned by the corresponding springs 19 to their inoperative positions (shown in chain lines in FIG. 4). Each release lever 23 is controlled by a tension spring S. Accordingly in this arrangement the previously selected pattern levers 11 of each memory unit MU in turn, are first released for re-selection, whereupon the levers of the said unit are immediately re-selected at the relevant selecting station once per revolution of the cam box 7, the fresh selection being retained by the corresponding catch member 21 until the latter is next engaged and pressed back by its associated release lever 23. These release levers and the striker plate 25 for op erating the same are quite independent of the master control unit 13.

The aforementioned controlled means for selectively operating, i.e. programming, the memory units MU seriatim consist in the illustrated example of a single verti cal bank of superimposed and spring-influenced programming levers 28one to each pattern lever 11 of a memory unitthese programming levers being interposed between the pattern levers and the pattern drum 13 and being selectively operable under the control of the pattern-dictating strip 17. The levers 28, which are controlled by tension springs 29, are mounted for turning about a vertical fulcrum pin 30. Each such programming lever has two arms, viz. an arm 28a having at its outer end a nose 28b for action upon the lug 11b of the corresponding pattern lever 11, and an arm 28c having a tapered tail end 28d.

The pattern drum 13 of the master control is so constructed as to enable it to have passed around it a strip 17 of relatively thin and flexible material in which is formed a prearranged set-out of pattern-dictating apertures 17a (see FIG. 3), the individually movable and spring-influenced programming levers 28 in the adjacently disposed vertical bank each being provided with an inwardly directed feeler formation 31 adapted at the termination of each rack of the said drum, either to rest upon the outer surface of an un-apertured portion of the flexible material or to penetrate an aperture 17a in the latter depending upon the form of the said material both at the relevant height and the appropriate circumferential location. The feeler formations 31 may advantageously extend radially with respect to the drum axis.

The prearranged apertures 17a constitute the patterndictating media replacing the pegs, pins or bits of previous constructions.

As depicted in FIG. 3, the apertures 17a in the patterndictating strip 17 are formed in a plurality of longitudinal series LS uniformly spaced apart vertically at heights corresponding with the superimposed horizontal planes containing the programming levers 28. Moreover, these apertures are disposed in vertical lines VL extending parallel to the rotational axis of the pattern drum 13, the circumferential spacing of these lines being uniform and corresponding to the extents of single racks of the said drum. Thus, by forming apertures along the vertical lines VL and at the various heights in a prearranged set-out any desired geometric or other design can be developed in a pattern-dictating strip such as 17 So that the radial feeler formations 31 of the programming levers 28 shall be permitted to penetrate apertures 17a in the pattern-dictating strip 17 to an appropriate depth, the body of the drum 13 around which the strip is passed may have formed in it complete circumferential series and vertical lines of holes with a relevant one of which each aperture in the strip can register. Preferably, however, instead of being formed with complete uninterrupted vertical lines of individual holes the drum is, at the same circumferential intervals, channelled or grooved from top to bottom as indicated at 32 in FIG. 5.

To enable it to be driven forward by the pattern drum 13, the strip 17 has formed right along its longitudinal margins continuous series of uniformly spaced holes 17b for engagement by pointed, correspondingly spaced drivetransmitting pins 33 set in the drum. There are thus two series of such pins 33-one at the upper end and the other at the lower end of the drum.

The circumferential interval between any two vertical channels or grooves such as 32 in the pattern drum 13, or between any two vertical lines of holes in the drum, as the case may be, corresponds to a single rack of the said drum. But inasmuch that, at required times, the pattern drum may be caused (e.g. in a manner hereinafter to be described) to execute full or double racks, i.e. intermittent circumferential movements each to the extent of twice a half or single rack, the vertical lines VL along which apertures 17a can be formed at predetermined heightwise locations in a pattern-dictating strip may be suitably spaced to provide for both single and double racking of the drum.

A suitable pattern-dictating strip (or band) is one which is of such a length that most of it can be housed in concertina, i.e. zig-zag, or other loose form in a storage container such as that indicated at 34 in FIG. 2. This permits of a free longitudinal feeding movement of the strip 17 to and around the drum, 13.

For ensuring that the intermittently movable patterndictating strip 17 remains in firm contact with the pattern drum 13 the said strip may be tensioned by one or two nip rollers such as 35.

Although a pattern-dictating strip of the character described may be of a stiff or reinforced paper or the like it is primarily the intention to make it of a wear-resisttant plastic film such as that known and sold under the registered trademark Mylar.

In any event, the idea is that those programming levers 28 in the vertical bank whose feeler formations 31 at the termination of any one rack of the pattern drum 13, rest upon the outer surface of an un-apertured portion of the pattern-dictating strip 17 shall be regarded as the selected ones since as a consequence they are held in such positions as to enable them to be forcibly pushed outwards away from the drum (by means presently to be described) to actuate and render operative the corresponding pattern levers 11 of the relevant memory unit MU. On the other hand, the remaining programming levers in the bank, whose feeler formations 31 penetrate apertures 17a in the pattern-dictating strip are the un selected ones inasmuch as they are permitted to move under the influence of springs 29 into such positions as to prevent them from being pushed outwards, as a result of which the corresponding pattern levers remain unselected and quiescent.

The master control mechanism may conveniently include, as in the illustrated example, a suitably movable beater 36 which, immediately after each rack of the pattern drum 13, is moved to carry forward all of the selected programming levers 28 into their fully operative positions to selectively operate the pattern levers 11 of the memory units. The tail ends 28d of the levers 28 are 7 so tapered that, at the termination of each such rack, there is a separation between the arms 280 of the selected and the unselected programming levers respectively, this separation providing a space 37 for accommodation of 'the operative end 36a of the programming lever beater 36 common to all of the programming levers 28, this beater being adapted, each time it has imparted thereto an operative movement, to miss and pass idly by the limbs 280 of the unselected programming levers whilst simultaneously beating on the corresponding limbs of the selected programming levers suchwise as to push the latter outwards with the result already mentioned.

The operative end 36a of the beater 36 extends the full height of the vertical bank of programming levers 28. The said beater is controlled by a tension spring 38 arranged as shown in FIG. 2. Thus, whenever in this example, there is a re-selection of the programming levers 28, as a result of which the selected ones of the levers are merely held by the pattern-dictating strip 17 whereas the feeler formations 31 of the unselected programming levers are released through apertures 17a in the strip, the tapered tails 28d of the unselected levers separate scissorwise from the similar tapered formations of the selected levers, thereby opening up the space 37 which is wedge-shaped. As will be seen, the programming lever beater 36 is in the form of a vertically disposed blade attached to and carried by a component 39. The latter is in turn carried by an oscillatory lever 40 in the form of a skeleton frame (see FIG. 6). The inner end of this frame-like lever is formed with a boss 40a through which extends a vertical spindle 41. The said lever is pinned to this spindle 41 at 42. The lower end portion of the spindle 41 is mounted to turn within bearings 43 housed within a boss 14b on the underside of the stationary platform 14. On the other hand, the upper end of the same spindle 41 turns within a bearing 44 secured within a top plate 45 which is suitably spaced above and supported from the platform 14. The lower extremity of the spindle 41 projects below the boss 14b and has secured thereto an operating lever 4'6 adapted to be acted upon at required times, to impart operative swings to the beater 36, by a cam on a continuously driven common cam shaft 47 hereinafter to be described.

The pattern drum 13 is racked round by pawl and ratchet mechanism the pawl lever 48 of which is arranged to be regularly actuated by a rotary racking cam 49 on the cam shaft 47. The lever 48 fulcrums about a bearing portion 50a of a stud 50 which is screwed into the platform 14 and depends vertically from the underside of the latter. The pawl lever 48, moreover, is controlled by a tension spring 51 and has an arm 48a the free end of which is urged by the said spring into permanent contact with the racking cam 49'. The peripheral form of this cam is clearly shown at a in FIG. 10. The free end of another arm 48b on the pawl lever is slotted to receive the pivoted pawl 52 (see more particularly FIG. 5) which pawl is itself suitably spring-controlled in the usual way. The pawl cooperates with a ratchet or rack wheel 53 which is rigid with the shaft 54 of the pattern drum 13. Immediately above and mounted to rotate together with the rack wheel 53 is a notched check wheel 54 which cooperates wtih a detent 54' (see FIG. 2) the purpose of which is to check and lock the drum 13 against rotation between racks imparted thereto by the pawl 52. Then above the wheels 53 and 54 and rigid therewith is a gear wheel 55 which is arranged to drive a friction driving roller 56 (see FIG. 2) via the pinions 57 and 58. The roller 56, which acts on the pattern-dictating strip 17 coming off the pattern drum 13, functions to tauten the strip sufiiciently to prevent it buckling. Because the rotary cam shaft 47 is adapted to be shogged axially up and down to different positions (for a purpose presently to be described) it is necessary for the racking cam 49 to be of such an axial dimension, i.e. thickness, as to enable the arm 48a to be maintained in contact therewith whatever the position of said shaft.

It is convenient here to mention that the pattern drum 13 of the master control mechanism is continuously driven from the main drive gear 9 through the train of intermeshed gears 59, 60, 61, 62, 63 and 64 Shown in FIGS. 5 and 8.

To achieve selective racking of the pattern drum 13, an arm 480 on the pawl lever 48 is arranged to contact a slidable bar 65 which is adapted to be selectively positioned through the medium of a lever 66 and a cable control 67 at the dictates of the main control chain (not shown) of the circular knitting machine. The control so exercised may produce the single or double racks or bluffing of the pattern drum. The bar 65 is controlled by a tension spring 68 which urges a roller 69 on the said bar into contact with the appropriate edge of the lever 66.

To permit of racking of the pattern drum 13, a socalled return beater 70 common to all the programming levers 28 is provided to act on these levers and move them to the extent required to withdraw their feeler formations 31 clear of the outer surface of the pattern-dictating strip 17. The return beater consists of a vertical blade which is attached by screws to another oscillatory lever 71 in the form of a skeleton frame (see FIG. 7). The inner end of the lever 71 is, like the lever 40, formed with a boss 71a through which extends a vertical spindle 72; The said lever is pinned to the spindle 72 at 73. The lower end portion of the spindle is mounted to turn within bearings 74 housed within another boss 14c on the underside of the stationary platform 14. The upper end of the spindle 72 turns within a bearing 75 secured within the top plate 45. The lower extremity of the spindle 72 (which latter is longer than the spindle 41) projects well below the boss 14c and has secured thereto an operating lever 76 adapted to be acted upon at required times by a cam on the rotary cam shaft 47 to impart operative swings to the return beater 70against the action of a controlling tension spring 77.

The cam shaft 47 is continuously driven, through the hereinbefore described gear train, in any appropriate timed relation with respect to the rotational speed of the revolving cam box 7. It will usually be found convenient, in a machine having, say, four selecting stations for knitting at four feeds and two further selecting stations for transfer, for the cam shaft 47 to be driven at twice the speed of the cam box.

On the cam shaft 47 there are provided, in addition to the aforementioned drum racking cam 49, and a return beater cam 78 for action upon the operating lever 76, a plurality of respectively differently shaped programming lever beater cams for use selectively to determine blufiing or dwelling of the pattern. Thus, in the specific illustrated example, based on the details given in the last preceding paragraph, the drum racking cam 49 has thereon three lobes 49a and the return beater cam 78 also has thereon three lobes 78a (see a and 2, FIG. 10). Accordingly, during each complete revolution of the machine, the pattern drum 13 is racked round six timesone for each of six memory units MU. There are three programming lever beater cams 79, 80, and 81 having thereon three lobes 79a, two lobes 80a and one lobe 81a respectively. The single-lobed beater cam 81 when selected to be in operation acts on selected programming levers 28 only twice during a complete revolution of the cam box 7 to programme the two memory units MU located at the transfer selecting stations only. In this condition of the mechanism, the four selecting stations for knitting are bluffed out. The two-lobed beater cam '80, when similarly selected, acts on selected programming levers four times per revolution of the cam box for the purpose of programming the four memory units at the selecting stations for knitting; thus, in this case, the two transfer selecting stations are bluffed out. But whenever the three-lobed beater cam 79 is selected to pe in operation, it acts on selected programming levers 28 after every rack of the pattern drum 13, that is to say, six times per revolution of the machine. In these circumstances, all six memory units (respectively at the six selecting stations) are programmed during each successive revolution of the machine, so that selective knitting takes place at all four feeds and selective transfer at both of the relevant stations.

It has previously been stated that the rotary cam shaft 47 is adapted to be shogged axially up and down to different positions: this is for the purpose of selecting one of the programming lever beater cams 79, 80 and 81 for movement into the plane at which it can engage the operating lever 46 of the programming beater 36. The shogging mechanism for the shaft 47 is depicted at the left-hand side of FIG. and includes a pivoted bell-crank '82 which is mounted upon a small bracket 83 secured in position on the platform 14. The bell-crank is controlled by a tension spring 84. The arm 82a of the bell-crank is furnished with a roller 85 which is engaged within an annular recess 47a formed in the upper end of the shaft 47. The other arm 82b of the bell-crank is pivotally connected to a cable control 86 which is under the influence of the main control chain of the machine.

Provision of any suitable character may be made for neutralising the operation of the patterning mechanism at desired times by pushing in all of the pressers 6, instead of actuating them selectively, so that all of the needleactuating jacks 4 will in that event remain downthereby isolating the jacks and needles from the patterning mechanism. To this end every one of the pressers 6 is furnished at its lower end with a pattern-neutralising butt 6b (shown blacked in FIG. 1). All of these butts 6b are in the same plane, and there are provided for action upon the said butts at appropriate times, pivoted isolator blades 87, one per memory unit MU. The blade 87 in each such unit is mounted on the same vertical pivot pin 20 as the selector elements 12immediately below the complete bank of the latter. The isolator blade, moreover, is of very similar form to one of the selector elements 12 (except that it need not have a nose 12a), and it is controlled by a tension spring 88 (see FIG. 4) anchored at one end to the rear edge of the blade and at the other end to the pivoted catch member 21. For convenience in illustration the isolator blade 87 of each memory unit is not shown anywhere in the drawings in plan: its position in the mechanism is simply designated by the numeral 87 in FIG. 1. For pressing the isolator blade 87 of each unit MU outwardly into its operative position at desired times, there is pro vided on such unit an operating lever 89 which is mounted to turn freely about a vertical fulcrum pin 90 set in the bracket and is controlled by a coiled torsion spring 91 arranged as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. Between this operating lever 89 and the isolator blade 87 there is provided an intermediate lever 92 which is fulcrummed on the pivot pin 20 and is fitted with a pin 93 for engagement with the rear edge of the isolator blade. The operating lever 89 has a suitably contoured cam edge 89a adapted for action upon an adjustable eccentric abutment 94 carried by the intermediate lever 92. The arrangement so far described is accordingly such that by striking the operating lever 89 and turning it clockwise as viewed in FIG. 4, against the action of the torsion spring 91, the cam edge 8911 will act on the eccentric abutment 94 and thus turn the intermediate lever 92 in the same direction, as a result, the pin 93 will act on the isolator blade 87 and render it operative. For temporarily locking the operating lever 89 in this position to hold the isolator blade outwards for as long as may be desired, there is provided immediately below the said lever, a catch 95 which is pivoted at 96 and has formed in one edge thereof a recess 95a designed to receive a pin 97 on the lever 89. This catch 95, independently controlled by a tension spring 98, also functions as a release lever adapted, when struck in a clockwise direction, against the action of the spring 98, to release 10 the pin 97. As a consequence, the operating lever 89, the intermediate lever 92, and hence also the isolator blade 87 are all permitted to return to their inoperative positions, thus again bringing into commission the patterning mechanism.

For striking first the operating lever 89 of each memory unit in turn to render operative the isolator blade 87 of that unit and for thereafter striking the combined catch and release lever to restore the said blade to its inoperative position, there are provided two striking plates 99 and 100 respectively (FIG. 2). These two striking plates are secured in appropriate superimposed planes upon an arm 101 which is mounted at 102 upon a shaft adapted to be raised and lowered, through intermediate connections controlled from the aforesaid control chain.

OPERATION Assume first that selected ones of the bank of programming levers 28 have just been swept by the programming lever beater 36 into their fully operative positions as a consequence of which the pattern levers 11 of a passing memory unit MU have just been selectively operated. The return beater 70 is then operated to ensure that the feeler formations 31 of all the programming levers 28 are withdrawn and held clear of the patterndictating strip 17. At this stage in the operating cycle, the pawl lever 48 is actuated to rack round the pattern drum 13. When this racking action is complete, the return beater 70 is permitted to fall back to its normal inoperative position. As a consequence, the feeler formations 31 of unselected programming levers will penetrate apertures 17a in the pattern-dictating strip 17, whereas the corre sponding formations of the selected programming levers will rest on unapertured portions of the said strip, thereby creating a separation of selected and unselected levers. The programming lever beater 36 is thereupon operated to contact the selected levers and carry them into their fully operative positions-thereby completing the cycle.

We claim:

1. A multi-feed circular knitting machine comprising in combination, a stationary needle cylinder formed with tricks; selectively movable knitting instruments in said tricks, said instrumentsbeing influenced by action upon butts associated therewith; a cam box revolvable around said cylinder; a rotary carrier for the cam box; at each of a plurality of knitting instrument selecting stations in advance of a relevant feed, a bank of height-wise spaced and individually movable selector elements mounted on the cam box carrier, said elements being operable selectively and adapted in turn to act selectively upon the aforementioned butts disposed at corresponding heights for the purpose of selectively moving the instruments in the tricks in the cylinder, and, adjacent to each bank of said selector elements, means for selectively operating the latter as aforesaid; wherein the improvement comprises the provision on the cam carrier, at each of said stations, of a memory unit including a stack of pattern levers; a common pivot pin about which said pattern levers are mounted to turn in spaced planes for individual movement selectively to and from operative positions in which they influence the corresponding bank of selector elements, the said planes being spaced to correspond with the spacing of the selector elements of the corresponding bank; a common master-control unit on a relatively stationary part of the machine for controlling the selective operation of all of the said stacks of pattern levers seriatim; a pattern-dictating strip carried and driven by said master-control unit; means for racking round the latter at desired intervals; springs for biasing the pattern levers of each memory unit, each such pattern lever being formed with (a) a protuberant formation adapted, when the lever is selected and turned, to make contact with and to move the corresponding selector element, (b) a lug by means of which the said lever, when selected, is turned angularly into its operative position and (c) a nose; a catch member for engagement with the noses of the pattern levers, said catch member functioning to retain the pattern levers of the said stack either in their operative positions or in their inoperative, i.e. non-selected, positions, controlled means for selectively operating the memory units seriatim, said means consisting of a bank of superimposed and biased programming levers-one to each spring biased pattern lever of a memory unit-these programming levers being interposed between the pattern levers and a pattern dru-m constituting the master-control unit and being selectively operable under the control of the pattern-dictating strip passed around the said drum; and a beater which after each rack of the pattern drum, is moved to carry forward all the selected programming levers into their fully operative positions to selectively operate the pattern levers of the memory units, the pattern-dictating strip having formed therein a pre-arranged set-out of apertures, and the system further including a feeler provided on each of the individually movable programming levers in the adjacently disposed bank, each of said feelers being adapted at the termination of each rack of the said drum either to rest upon the outer surface of an un-apertured portion of the strip to select the relevant programming lever or to penetrate an aperture to cause the relevant prograrnrning lever to be unselected depending upon the form of the strip both at a relevant height and an appropriate circumferential location.

2. A patterning system according to claim 1, wherein the said catch member is of pivoted lever form, extends the full height of the corresponding stack of pattern levers and is shaped for insertion into a V-gap which opens up between and is defined by, the noses on the pattern levers whenever, as a consequence of a selection of the latter, some of them are rendered operative and others remain inoperative. V I

3. A patterning system according to claim 1, wherein there is provided, adjacent to the catch member of each memory unit, a release lever operable at an appropriate point once per revolution of the cam box to move the catch member against a biasing influence to release selected pattern levers for re-selection.

4. A patterning system according to claim 1, wherein the apertures in the pattern-dictating strip besides being formed in a plurality of longitudinal series uniformly spaced apart vertically at heights corresponding to superimposed horizontal planes containing the programming levers are alsodisposed in the vertical lines extending parallel to the rotational axis of the pattern drum, the circumferential spacing of these lines being uniform and corresponding to extents of racks of the said drum.

5. A patterning system according to claim 4, wherein the body of the drum around which the pattern-dictating strip is passed is vertically channelled or grooved at relevant circumferential intervals whereby the feelers of the programimng levers are permitted to penetrate to an appropriate depth apertures in the said strip.

6. A patterning system according to claim 1, wherein the pattern-dictatingstrip is of such length that most of it can be housed in concertina or other loose form in a storage container thereby permitting a free longitudinal feeding movement of the strip to and around the drum.

7. A patterning system according to claim 1, wherein the programming levers are provided with limbs so shaped that, at the termination of each rack of the pattern drum, there is a separation between the said limbs of the selected and the unselected programming levers respectively, this separation providing a space for accommodation of the operative end of the beater which is common to all of the programming levers, the said beater being adapted, each time it has imparted thereto an operative movement, to miss and pass idly by the limbs of the unselected programming levers whilst simultaneously beating on the corresponding limbs of the selected programming levers suchwise to push the latter outwards.

8. A patterning system according to claim 1, wherein the pattern drum is racked round by pawl and ratchet mechanism a pawl lever of which is arranged to be regularly actuated by a rotary cam.

9. A patterning system according to claim 8, wherein to achieve selective racking of the pattern drum, an arm on the pawl lever is arranged to contact a slidable bar which is adapted to be selectively positioned at the dictates of a control chain.

10. A patterning system according to claim 1, wherein to permit racking of the pattern drum, a return beater common to all the programming levers is provided to act on the latter and move them to the extent required to withdraw their feelers clear of the outer surface of the pattern-dictating strip.

11. A patterning system according to claim 10, wherein the various components are operated by cams on a common cam shaft arranged to be continuously driven in timed relation with respect to the rotational speed of the revolving cam box.

12. A patterning system according to claim 11, wherein there are provided on the said cam shaft (i) a return beater cam, (ii) a drum racking cam and (iii) a plurality of respectively differently shaped programming lever beater cams for use selectively to determine bluffing or dwelling of the pattern.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,567,883 12/1925 Wildt 66-40 1,911,698 5/1933 Levin 66 50 XR 1,972,044 8/1934 Howie 66-50 2,269,398 1/1942 Preston 66-50 2,696,092 12/1954 Miller 6650 XR 3,315,494 4/1967 Farmer 66 50 3,423,960 1/1969 Wiesinger et al. 6625 FOREIGN PATENTS 330,612 6/1930 Great Britain.

WM. CARTER REYNOLDS, Primary Examiner 

